On March 23 2008, over 1000 members of Toronto’s Tibetan community organized a large scale demonstration shouting slogans such as “China lies, People Die” and “Shame on China the World is watching” throughout the streets of Queen and Yonge until finally arriving at Queen’s Park. Now it’s very interesting to note that these political disputes that are occurring simultaneously worldwide, while China is preparing for the Olympic games. These acts are not coincidental but instead are used to shame China since they are getting all sorts of media coverage. These disputes represent a vehicle of politics where people want the world to recognize that the Tibetans are treated unfairly and unjust. As demonstrators progressed down the streets of Toronto they waved flags and carried pictures of people imprisoned and tortured by Chinese authorities. Although these people live in Canada, they share a hybrid national identity and use the streets as spaces to signify their contestation and voice out their struggles. This article directly shows that even simple public spaces such as streets can serve as strong networks for power and transform these places for other means. For example people were laying in the streets and blocking traffic hence causing delays to the daily processes of what these spaces are initially meant to serve. These cries help people all over the world come together in a globalized manner to help promote awareness of what is occurring around various countries hence forming a powerful voice.
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